


Midwife of the Soul

by BardChild



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Air Temple Island, F/M, Gen, Original Character(s), Spirit World, Spirits, The Avatar State
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-20
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-24 03:39:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/934860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardChild/pseuds/BardChild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if...What if Aang was a pyschopomp?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midwife of the Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks for Themelonlordapproves From Tumblr for beta reading and editing this fic. Melon thank you. This is for the Kataang Week Sept prompts.

**Midwife for the Soul**

 

Aang to me had always been the sweetest, goofiest boy I have met. It was one of those many features about him that I fell in love with. It was his empathy, his ability to connect with _anyone_ that I adored the most. It didn’t matter how rich or how poor, if you were Fire Nation or Water Tribe, or if you loved men or women or both or neither, he found a way to see past the differences. He saw what we have in common, but he never minimized the differences. He celebrated them.

 

However despite the fact he is human as I am, I keep forgetting the crucial fact that is also…a god. A demi-god. Someone divine and yet mortal, he has lived a human life, and made human choices. Still, that cold autumn day was the chilling reminder that I was in love with a god.

 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

“Oh man, these tomatoes are the best. The acolytes really did a good job this year,” Aang commented one morning just as the First Frost was starting. Kya wasn’t born yet, but I was getting close to my date. Aang had been at my side as time was grown short. He spent many long days doing work at home, brimming with eagerness for the arrival of our first child. Little moments like savoring the freshly harvested tomatoes from the green house were moments he loved sharing with me the most. Aang did have habit if missing the details though, the little things. Like the fact that a student from his class had been missing for three days. It was only when an acolyte named Nima brought it to his attention did things changed suddenly.

 

“Avatar?” said the brown-eyed girl. She was only sixteen years old, and had just joined the Air Temple. She humbly approached my husband as he lounged in our living space. She bowed timidly before her eyes turned to him, concerned.

 

“It’s Norbu. He is really ill. He has been sick for almost a week. We thought it was just the coughing sickness, but it’s growing worse,” she said with nervous worry. I got up and grabbed my water sack.  
“Well why didn’t you say something sooner? I can be there in a jiffy!”  I said in a bit of an exasperated tone. Aang followed me, trying to be reassuring as possible.

  
“I am sure they thought this was something manageable,” he soothed as we walked to the infirmary. Nima opened the door and lead us to a quiet back room. She opened that door, and I could smell a sickly sweet stench. This is was bad. _Really bad._ I gave her a worried look as I paused on the threshold “Can you tell me his symptoms?” I asked before I walked into the darken room, where I am sure that Norbu was sleeping. Aang covered his nose and mouth and backed up a bit.

  
“Ugh! It smells like he has the Spot Plague.” Aang said with a note of disgust.

 

Nima furrowed her brow. “Spot Plague?” she asked, more scared than curious.

  
“It’s terrible infection. It hit the Southern Air Temple when I was little kid. I don’t remember much of it, but I remember the smell, and I remember the pyres. They stacked bodies and upon bodies and burned them. They had to perform the Rite of the Dead en masse because the count was so high. Thank god they stopped it before it spread to the other temples. Disease was rampant back then, because folks lived in close quarters and traveled, but luckily our chi was pretty strong that a couple spots and a bad cough was probably the most you got growing up. Though this one kid, Youta, he got the WORST rash; it was all over him. His face, mouth, head, feet, back and even his tes-“

  
“We get it Aang. Sickness was common thing back in the temples,” I cut him off.

 

Nima however looked mortified; she sheepishly looked behind her to the room where Norbu was. “He started with a fever three days ago. Then he started having bad bowels and throwing up, and there are spots filled with pus. We thought he was going to recover but his fever won’t break and he is delirious and-” She broke off as tears fell from her eyes and she choked on a sob. “He isn’t getting better Avatar Aang, this isn’t some run-of-the-mill rash,” she sniffed. “It’s my entire fault, I told him that we should visit mom back in the Dragon Flats, in the slums. He wasn’t sure, but I made him come and I knew something wasn’t right when that man coughed all over us. But that was months ago and he was fine.” She let another sob. “It’s my fault he’s dying because I made him come with me.”

Aang expression turned serious and got to down to her level and looked into her eyes. “Nima, it’s not your fault; sickness isn’t something you can predict. You didn’t know your brother was going to get ill. It’s no one’s fault. There is no point in blaming yourself,” he said with loving firmness.

 

Nima threw her arms around him, eyes wide. “I am so scared, “ she confessed.

 

I could only lean back as Aang comforted the young acolyte.

  
“Be the eye in the storm. I’ve always told you an Air Nomad must be graceful even in a typhoon. I know you’re scared, but you need to be strong for Norbu. I am going to go in. I want you to burn all of your clothing and his too. I will ask Ming Li to get you new clothes. Wash your hands, too, and stay away from your brother until we clear it,” Aang instructed her. She looked anxious but she obediently nodded and trotted off.

 

I walked over the door when Aang grabbed my hand gently. His expression was severe as he moved ahead of me.

 

“I don’t think it’s safe for you be in Norbu’s room right now. I don’t want you sick… especially if you’re pregnant,” he said, kissing my hand. He was making a suggestion, not a demand. Still, I wanted to do something to ease Norbu’s pain.

  
“I’ll be ok. If it is the Spot Plague, I’ll be ok. I’ve gotten it once as a kid. You can’t get it twice.” I assured him. “Just let me try to help him sweetie.”

 

Aang wasn’t reassured but he let me follow him into the dark room. He used some firebending to light the lamp and the sight was grisly. Norbu laid almost naked, lesions on his skin covered him, red thick and angry, filled with pus. The smell of sickness lingered on him as he rolled over. Eyes watering and breath labored, he smiled weakly at Aang.

  
“Avatar,” he wheezed, “Good, you made it.”

 

Aang’s expression turned angry and then gentle suddenly. He sat down and looked over at Norbu. “Katara, I need to see how far this has progressed,” he said, turning his head to me. I didn’t hesitate as I bent a cool stream of water and with a breath, made it glow down Norbu’s worn, fevered body. His chi was utter train-wreck, lesions were on his skin… and on his organs. That was why he was dying. I looked at Aang with a dismal expression. He was dying, and it was progressing fast.

 

“Aang… he isn’t going to make it,” I whispered.

 

Aang’s expression turned grim as Norbu wheezed and coughed painfully loud.  “I need to know who you have been in contact with,” Aang asked. I wondered if this was going to be an epidemic.

 

“I…I’ve just been around my sister, and been to class. Did I spread it around?” he asked, terrified.

 

Aang rested a hand against his head. “We’re going to make sure folks don’t get too sick, I promise. Right now you need care and comfort.” I watched as hot tears streamed down his face. He hiccupped and then coughed again; Aang was careful to turn his head away.

“I’m dying. I know I am. I am not sure if I am ready, I’m too scared, Avatar,” Norbu said, his eyes turning away. I was scared for Norbu too. He was only seventeen.

 

Aang’s expression remained soft as he stroked Norbu’s hand. Then his look slowly resolved into determination. He got onto his knees and lowered his head. He exhaled slowly and whispered.

 

“Katara I need you to get Nima…” he said, closing his eyes.

 

I was confused but I left the room. I didn’t have to look far. She came back wearing a robe of saffron yellow. She saw the dark look on my face and rushed into the room.

 

“Good, you’re here. I need you and Katara to be with me. To witness this.” Norbu sat up coughing loudly, eyes rolled back in pain. He wheezed breathlessly and fell back down. Nima held his hand and looked back at my husband. “I know this is going to be hard for you, but you need to be here with him. I never thought I would ever have to do this, but looks like I need to today.”

 

“What are you going to do?” Nima asked.

 

Aang rubbed a hand over his bald head and looked up at me with a sad expression. “Sing him to the Spirit World. It’s the Rite of the Dead; my people have been doing it for thousands of years. I learned it from the monks years and years ago. I never thought I would be doing it on my own,” he said, squeezing Norbu’s hand.

 

I put my hands on his shoulders. “Just tell me what I can do, Sweetie?”

 

“I need you and Nima to drone for me,” he said, looking up at me. The concerned look in his eyes didn’t hide the grief in them. I nodded slowly. Norbu held onto Aang as he stared the drone first. His voice was gravelly and deep as the tone resonated in the dark room. Nima took it over and then I, with some hesitance, joined him in the low drone. The drone went on for a while, the slow hum filling the darkness. Norbu seemed to relax, letting the noise wash over him. Aang started chanting, in words I didn’t even know. A language that was probably older than Avatar, he whispered the chant in a drowsy string. Norbu coughed and buckled a bit, his eyes growing fuzzy and hazy. Then… I felt something _give._

The whole space seems to change and feel less real. Aang didn’t stop chanting; he held onto Norbu’s hand.  With sadness and pain, I watched as the light in Norbu’s eyes… faded away. He was gone. Not with a cry of agony or a roar of sorrow, but a sigh, a gentle sigh of utter relief. Aang sang deeply holding onto Norbu’s hand, not letting go.

 

Suddenly, there was a flash of light. I watched with a gasp as his arrows started to glow. The whole space seemed more ethereal. I couldn’t believe what I was watching, my hand over my mouth. I stopped the low drone as I saw Norbu’s spirit. Standing pale and luminous, he looked at Aang with fearful sorrow, not wanting to leave, but slowly I watched him bow and fade away like a cloud of blue mist.

 

The darkness _heaved_ , and I realized something was wrong. I wanted Aang to stop this. That wasn’t right, though, and I couldn’t make myself do it. Part of me realized… this was necessary. The darkness was living thing now, shifting and moving. The Spirit World was more visible and I could feel the heaviness of it on my skin. It prickled and tingled as Aang continued his chant, then suddenly he stopped. Eyes burned blue as he stood up and over the body of Norbu. Nima was still entranced, her sweet voice droning as Aang’s expression darkened. That wasn’t Aang I was watching, it was the collective, the Avatar complete. Its consciousness worked through him as its choir resonated in his voice.

 

“ ** _Get out! Vile spirit of sickness and disease, I know you are still in there! I lead this poor soul to the Realm of the Dead and you! You still linger! Get out!”_**

****

I was in awe. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. Well I could actually, I’ve seen this before. But I was more used to his unbridled anger and righteous rage than this controlled dominance. It was honestly scaring me. I had no idea what he was doing, but I trusted Aang. I loved him with my entire soul. What he was doing must be necessary. I pulled back away and leaned on the door as I watched something putrid and vile crawl out of Norbu’s mouth. I felt a sick chill down my back as something slimy slithered out.

 

In a flash of wrath, Aang grabbed the squirming worm. **_“You will not infect and poison this temple. I have no idea how you came here, but you will not remain. I will purify your sickness.”_**

****

The thing squirmed and shuddered, and to my own shock and horror I watched as Aang in his Avatar state _ate_ the Sickness Spirit. I gasped, eyes wide as he buckled over in pain. He groaned loudly and coughed violently. Nima broke from her trance and pulled away when Aang started coughing. Moments later he coughed out white smoke.

 

“What in Hei-Bai’s name-?” she cursed, eyes just wide as mine.

 

A moment later Aang stopped, his arrows lost the divine light and smiled lopsidedly at me. “Whoa, that was some gross stuff... and I’ve eaten Sokka’s cooking!”

 

<><><><><><><><><><><><> 

 

A week later Aang was nauseous and spotted. He was far away from me as he haunted the apartment.  He was behind a closed door as he explained why he did what he did.

 

“I was told by Yangchen that Norbu was cursed by a Sickness Spirit and I had to eat it. I was pretty reluctant to do so. But it was the only way to prevent the whole temple from getting really ugly.”  He sniffed loudly from the other side.

 

“It scared me Aang. I never saw you like that…”

 

“You have seen me in the Avatar State before, Katara, Sweetie and I know that was scary. It was scary for everyone.”

 

“Still, that sort of power... you weren’t Aang anymore you were a…you a-“

 

“Katara you don’t need to say it. I know what I was. Though I prefer to call myself…a midwife of the soul,” he said with a chuckle and then a cough. “In all seriousness, I want to be there when the baby is born. I want to be right with you. If I am going to help someone leave this world, I want to welcome someone coming into it.”

 

I could hear his smile, even with the rheumy expression and the spots. I put my hand on the door. In my heart, I knew why I love this man so much.

 

Both a god and as a man.

 

FIN


End file.
